Hi Guys

Probably the most frequent rant here is that the photog blocked my shot or the guests blocked me.

I often use footage from my GoPro on a lightstand and 99% of the time the shot is perfectly clear! However it does have the limitations of the format and lens so why can't we go up instead of fighting the crowd at ground level with our pro cameras too?

Maybe a little tower instead of the usual tripod? ..It wouldn't be hard to make and all you need is to be just a few inches above the tallest guy and you would always have a clear shot. Granted, all shots would be a bit high angle but I wouldn't think that it would change too much I normally have my camera at around face level which is at least 5' 6" or more so shooting at say 6'6" is only 12" higher and you are unlikely to get blocked and the downward tilt of the camera would be minimal really. Gosh even an extended tripod by another 18" would work a treat as long as you could make a clever little stand for yourself and the tripod which would raise you up just enough to never be blocked by the guests with phones and tablets and the three professional photogs dancing around the bride constantly!

Is there really any reason why our main camera cannot go just 12" higher than the normal tripod will allow. It would certainly solve all the issues with having a fat backside stuck in your lens hood. Sure, the pesky photogs would still be in your shot BUT they would never block it would they.

Instead of ranting about guests and photogs is there any reason why we could not simply go over their heads??

Any comments?

Chris

We have done for years. When the going gets tough we stick a camera on a manfrotto monopod held high in the air. The feet sit on my belt buckle and anchor it nicely. I then have two hands to hold is securely. Obviously it's better with a camera with IS and does't lend itself to DSLRs at all. This also works if you're stood in the side aisle (second shooter) since you can get an alternative (side) video for the bride walking down the main aisle if the photographer is blocking front or back cameras. Also a great alternative view for confetti, looking over people's head while they are crowded round the couple throwing.

In venues where we have even the slightest possibility to use it we have a camera on top of a manfrotto 058B. That sucker goes about 8 feet high and no one blocks your view.

Thanks Dave

I was actually thinking why I cannot lift my main camera upwards ..it needs a stable platform as it's often doing it's own thing but does need to be checked now and again. I got so tired with shooting camera 1 on the edge of the aisle that I try to shoot from the side of the ceremony that would favour the bride's face but you always get a photog blocking the shot so I figured he is not going to move so rather leave him in the shot BUT go up a couple of feet. A tight shot of the couple is absolutely ruined if the photog comes between you and the couple if your camera is at around face level ...however go up 18" and you get a way better shot (still with the photog in shot) but at least not blocking the shot except with his head.

So far the best I have seen to two aluminium painter's platforms (I have one ATM) joined with a sheet of plywood to make a decent base you can hop onto and position usually at the right of the pews. These have a black cloth draped over them to make them look professional and lifts you up almost 2' which is more than enough to get over even guests standing up.

My plan is to not rely so much on the GoPro when I get blocked as I would have the main cam elevated too. I'm really getting tired of getting blocked. I would rather be 2' off the ground and drop the tripod a bit if there is no blocking invisaged but at least if you need to go up, you can.

Just for interest how high do you reckon one could raise the cam if it's on a tight shot of the couple/priest so it doesn't look like it has been shot from the ceiling???

Two of our Manfrotto tripods we chose specifically because they can get the camera above head level. There are times when that won't matter, though. For instance, it's common for the bride and groom to be up on 1-3 steps for the vows... if the wedding party is also up, and they're blocking the view, there's nothing we can do, unless we were using a drone from an overhead shot :)

I often see other videographers here use just a small monopod with a DSLR and the flip out LCD screen to monitor. It is held like 3 ft. above heads especially in circle dances. I myself don't use any of that, as if the photog gets in the frame more than twice, I leave him in there afterwards for the bride to see what an incompetent and inconsiderate
a#$%&le she hired.

Well as you are aware, Chris, I think going up can often be helpful, but it does create other challenges at times depending on how it's done.

The camera on monopod technique does need practice (and occasionally some stabilisation in post!) but wide shots are fairy easy to master. For lengthy use, a small battery powered monitor clamped to the monopod at a convenient height avoids stiff necks and errant horizons and if LANC control is not available then camcorder remote controls can be surprisingly useful - especially if adapted with light pipes or as in this (http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/canon-vixia-series-avchd-hdv-camcorders/95585-how-make-real-hv20-wired-lanc.html) brilliant post by Chris Soucy many moons ago.

Avoiding light fittings and ceiling fans when operating indoors is of course strongly recommended. :-)

So far the best I have seen to two aluminium painter's platforms (I have one ATM) joined with a sheet of plywood to make a decent base you can hop onto and position usually at the right of the pews. These have a black cloth draped over them to make them look professional and lifts you up almost 2' which is more than enough to get over even guests standing up.

I can't think of a single wedding I've done in the last couple of years where I would have had room to install a platform, let alone the time / effort required in hauling it in and setting it up.

When buying a tripod/monopod, IMO one of the first considerations should be "max height"... Tall tripods may cost a little bit more, and weigh a bit more to load in and out, but the advantage is obvious.

Sunpak/Quantaray make a 75" model - the legs are pretty good, the head is easily replaced with one that doesn't suck (the included one is barely suitable for "locked down", as any move is clunky/sticky) - you could probably even squeeze a little more height with moving the legs in a bit. That one will get over the heads of most everyone but Herman Munster (and my nephews... "kids" now days!)... and not much larger footprint than any other tripod.

Same goes for monopods - the 561/562 Bogen with the little feet is also 75" IIRC... I just upgraded to the 72" Sirui, and once a head is added, plenty of height. OR use the belt trick with a shorter monopod, though I find I'm too wobbly for that... but you could even plant the monopod on a pew bench and get enough height for most situations.

There aren't many tripods/monopods that are designed to go above 6 foot or so, but they are well worth seeking out for "event" work where being "above the crowd" is handy. Use a LANC or wireless remote, and most times you can see the LCD "OK".

Since most times the front platform is elevated, all one really needs is to be able to get a "little" more elevation... of course now you have people sticking their phones and tablets up at arms length so THEY can get a shot, so even there, you "can" end up blocked... oh the trials this new tech has brought along with all the handy stuff!!

I have a Bogen (Manfrotto) 3246. It's a center column tripod and had the extension legs. If I used the column and all of the length of the legs I could get the mounting plate 8 feet in the air. Believe me I used it on occasion. That camera NEVER got blocked. Generally it was a lock down shot but every once in a while my A camera would be on it but only if the tilting and panning were going to held to a minimum. After all the only way I could get to the head was with a step ladder but I say again, it never got blocked! NEVER! ;-)

I remember now discussing tall tripods before on this thread (http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/wedding-event-videography-techniques/499817-tall-tripod-recommendations-please.html). The pictures in post #6 might be the same tripod as your Manfrotto, Don though it's not shown clearly (blame the missus).

Colin, it not quite the same on but close. The 3246 doesn't have the adjustable spreader like the one in the picture. The spreader is 2 flat pieces of metal per leg, going from the center collar on the column to the legs. Either way, not quite as sturdy as I would care for it but when you need the height and don't have a boom, it's a good way to go. The big problem was the footprint it takes up. Pretty big.

Thanks Guys

Again I do need to be specific here and explain that I don't want any way to get the B-Cam elevated ..that's easy as it's on my shoulder and if need be I can simply extend my arms up or climb on a pew (if I can get away with it)

What I want to be able to do is lift the base height of my A-Camera that stays in one spot thruout the ceremony and is more than often a tight shot of the priest, bride and groom and runs all the wireless audio too. The issue here is not trying to get a "taller" tripod at all but simply trying to get the camera just that bit higher so if it gets blocked it can "see" over the photogs head rather than just looking at the back of his head. I always have the GoPro a good 8' up and shooting wide to create a safety shot.

What I'm really looking for is :
(1) A static base for the A-Camera that I can leave alone (so a monopod is out!)
(2) A riser of some sort so the footprint of the tripod stays the same

We all know the restrictions within a Church but luckily these are getting fewer and fewer here... anyone own or built a neat tripod riser? It would be so much easier at a civil ceremony to put the camera behind the back row of chairs and have it so we can "see" over the people.

Chris

The problem with centre column tripods is that you have to adjust each leg independently to get level - a nightmare in a fast paced wedding situation compared to a ball levelling head. Both my B cams during a ceremony and speeches are usually high enough so they can't be blocked and If my main cam gets blocked I can usually just move around it - I don't really let it bother me.

For a packed dance floor you can't beat a GoPro with a light on the end of a fully extended monopod held high over the throng - I run a cable to a small Marshall monitor - can be very effective!

Pete

Hi Pete

Thanks for that! I wasn't considering a centre column tripod at all actually. and a big tripod alone also has a big footprint! I was looking at a portable riser that would sit on the floor and have a base about 2' higher than floor level. I then put my tripod on the riser and level is not an issue with a bowl tripod anyway ...it's nice and stable as the tripod only is extended half way as it would be on a floor BUT it's an extra 2' up...In and around supermarkets I have seen a neat little plastic unit (sorta looks like an upside down yellow bucket) that staff use to get to the top shelves and it's on castors too!! I don't want a higher tripod at all I just want my tripod higher!!

Chris

Hi Pete

Thanks for that! I wasn't considering a centre column tripod at all actually. and a big tripod alone also has a big footprint! I was looking at a portable riser that would sit on the floor and have a base about 2' higher than floor level. I then put my tripod on the riser and level is not an issue with a bowl tripod anyway ...it's nice and stable as the tripod only is extended half way as it would be on a floor BUT it's an extra 2' up...In and around supermarkets I have seen a neat little plastic unit (sorta looks like an upside down yellow bucket) that staff use to get to the top shelves and it's on castors too!! I don't want a higher tripod at all I just want my tripod higher!!

Chris

Does your tripod fit on these yellow buckets? Is it going to be stable?

That's the challenge - getting a large and stable "footprint" to properly balance the height/leverage. Keep in mind that's another 2 feet or so for your camera to gain additional momentum on the way to a sudden stop on the ground...or a guest, or whatever. You don't get something for nothing.

I've had a little fella decide my Sunpak was a nice "monkey bar"... aside from a little wobbly footage, no harm befell camera, tripod, little fella, or embarrassed parent...

Whatever you figure out as a "solution", always consider SAFETY first...

I have the 3246 and its replacement the 028B from manfroto. I got them specifically for going overhead at weddings. They work great and easily get above everyone's head. Downside is you do need a step stool or I built myself a box\platform... Kind of like a big apple box to get up and adjust things. As far as taking more time to level with a little experience you can level them in a snap. Let's be honest most the time you are going to be on mostly level ground so it just a matter of getting the legs to the same height which if you are going for height is going to be all the way extended. Also once you have them set up that high you are not moving them so if it takes a few extra seconds before the ceremony what's the big deal, I am sure we all arrive plenty early.

The one draw back for me. Is as I have just started to do weddings professionally instead of just for friends and family, I have shown some of my footage to other pros and they have commented I am too far removed with the cameras locked down, so I am trying to adjust my style, still having a camera or two locked down, but also getting closer and more intimate with a camera on a monopod or folded up tripod and getting in the aisle to get the shot of the bride coming down and other such cut always.

Thanks again Guys!

I haven't quite found what I'm looking for but obviously it will have to be very stable and safe too. The idea came from a professional aluminium riser that I saw advertised but yikes the cheap one is nearly $1500!

Spider TR2 Tripod Riser TR2 B&H Photo Video

I'm simply trying to see how to get a bit more height without increasing my footprint. Obviously a BIG tripod is the simplest but once you are up at say, 7' above the ground the spread of three legs becomes crazy especially in a Church ! Remember I don't HAVE to use it even if I have it!! I have done plenty of weddings where space and position is ideally and adequate but often like the UK, we have these darn old Churches that are narrow and your only practical option is up!

I'll ask my local supermarket where they got their yellow bucket but then again they might be simply too heavy to lug around.

Chris

Just to throw the cat amongst the pigeons why do you have to use a tripod anyway? Has anyone used the innovative Tele Tower? It's a portable aluminium podium that's height adjustable with a work height up to a huge 3m (that's 10' up in the air which would be somewhat awesome for events where you are blocked with crowds.

A tripod as it does upwards creates a huge footprint so why couldn't you simply have a bowl ball head mounted on the platform safety rails?

Zarges | Zarges Telepod - The World's First Mobile Telescopic Podium (http://www.zargesteletower.co.uk/podium.html)

This doesn't need any access steps as they are built-in. Then again DJ lighting stands are pretty darn stable too and they have a much smaller footprint than a tripod and I use a stand for my GoPro at weddings ....I see no reason why a really stable lighting stand (although heavier than a tripod) couldn't have a pan tilt head mounted on it.

I saw an ideal multi-camera setup at a marathon fun run that I did a few weeks ago. It was basically an aluminium framework with a pretty small footprint considering it went skywards about 4 metres .. an overkill for weddings but the principle was clever. On the top of the frame he had 4 pan/tilt heads and a selection of still and video cameras mounted on them so all the amateur happy snappers were well below him ..granted he had to use a ladder to get to the cameras but he certainly would have had clear shots away from all the crowd below.

Essentially for weddings whether you are in a Church or outdoors you really only need the camera head about 6' off the floor to clear all the happy snappers unless there is a basketball team there.

Can anyone see a major disadvantage to NOT using a tripod since I only use bowl heads so leg adjustment is not an issue.

Chris

We use manfrotto 075's as our "get over heads" tripods, they are a bit bulkier than others, but you can decide how much you want to spread the legs by.. We often have to setup in confined spaces, and find them fine for this purpose, agreed that in a hurry levelling them takes a bit of getting used to.

Otherwise you can get aluminium access platforms for cheap from builders merchants.

I saw an ideal multi-camera setup at a marathon fun run that I did a few weeks ago. It was basically an aluminium framework with a pretty small footprint considering it went skywards about 4 metres... Can anyone see a major disadvantage to NOT using a tripod since I only use bowl heads so leg adjustment is not an issue.

Well, the obvious disadvantage -- sounds like what that marathon shooter gained in height he lost in mobility, and in setup time. Was he basically stuck to that spot for the entire fun run?

In his case no! He was set up at the finish line so that was the prefect spot as they only shoot video of people finishing and stills and then sell the end results to competitors

I only want a fixed position for just one camera at the ceremony the second is always on my shoulder and totally mobile!

I have to say -- that Spider Tripod Riser looks really tempting, but the price tag scares me. If I had $2,000 or $3,000 to spend on gear, there's plenty of things I'd rather spend it on!

Me too Adrian!

I saw it posted for $2680 ... I could buy some really nice gear for that much money so for a "stand" it sounds pretty pricey!!

When I built my custom trolley, I used 25mm square aluminium tube and some clever Aussie connectors called "connect-it" It makes a super lightweight and very stable frame for not much cost! Maybe what I'll try is using my 2nd tripod that has a bowl head with the legs closed up. That would put the camera 600mm off the floor on a stable and adjustable tripod but obviously hopelessly low!

If I make two 600 x 600 x 600 aluminium frames so I have light square boxes and stack them I now have a 1200mm riser and with the folded down tripod in a shallow tray in the top frame I would have a "tower" with the bowl head sitting up at 1.8m and with a very small (600x600) footprint on the floor. With my tripod extended the footprint is huge and it's that stable as the end feet are just single tubes.

I have so far tried my folded down tripod on top of my "trolley" frame (also 600mm) and it's rock solid.

Sometimes we have to make what we want ourselves.

Chris

Chris, before you go any further I suggest you ask just one girl what they would think about having that contraption at their wedding :- )

Why can't you simply use a heavy duty light stand for the occasions when you need the extra height?

Pete

+ 1 for the lightstand, some can go really high, just put a ball head on top of it and you are done, easy to transport in it's smallest size and when it's set up no-one will notice it. I also can't imagine building a platform at a wedding. I know my father sometimes used to take a aluminum ladder which he placed on the side of the dancefloor to shoot the dancing crowd :)

Thanks Pete

I mentioned that is a previous post and no-one commented! Yep that's probably the easiest way to go too and it has a smaller footprint than a tripod. I was actually looking at some DJ stands which are also quite hefty ... the stand I use for the GoPro is way to light but that's a $30 one and at outdoor weddings it sways in the wind so with a 4kg camera it would be even worse. The stands that DJ's use for hanging 4 lights of a bar look pretty solid and I'm already fingering my hacksaw and looking at my stedicam docking stand too which is pretty sturdy and has a 40mm centre post. My lighting stands are way too flimsy with a post of only 25mm!!

Do you have any suggestions for lighting stands that could handle a 4kg camera at 1.8metres up in the air??

Chris

Hey Noa

Thanks from you too. Just have to find a sturdy enough one now! I don't really think a matt black aluminium mini tower at the side of the Church would attract too much attention but being lazy, the easiest solution for me is the one that takes the least amount of work ...My stedicam docking stand is actually quite neat and sturdy but maybe I need to go just a tad higher.

Also we are doing fewer and fewer Church weddings now so it's not as big a deal as I make it out to be!

Chris

Do you have any suggestions for lighting stands that could handle a 4kg camera at 1.8metres up in the air??

I use the Cheetah C12's regularly. My versions are air-cushioned and that helps a lot when you come to lower down heavy gear - otherwise if you just loosen a lightstands butterfly nuts the weight of the equipment atop will bring it whistling downwards like a fireman on a pole. The Cheetah stands close their own feet when you lift them up which is great for repositioning at speed in confined areas; the downside is that this makes a clatter of metal on metal so not ideal in a quiet ceremony.

There are much beefier stands than the C12's that are also far cheaper. My C12's can take the weight - they are really meant for mains powered studio strobes - but one centre column cannot be quite as stable as a tripod obviously. But if the cam is locked off that won't matter as it will settle down. Or you may use in-cam stabilisation etc.

I prefer to have a Manfrotto 701 head on rather than a ball head because it is then far quicker to compose and level, instead of endlessly trying to get a level horizon with a ball head. You would however need a ball head if the ground is not level (or level and crop in post).

Again, if you use a head like a 701 you can have the arm coming straight down and this enables you to pan and tilt without you needing to stand on anything to reach the cam. You could even add a DIY extension to the arm to enable you to pan and tilt even if the cam is very high up such as over a dance floor - I've done that a few times to avoid guests heads.

I carry my lightstands "loose" using slings that are designed for carrying tripods.

You can mount other stuff like an audio recorder and a couple of radio receivers further down the pole using a Superclamp and a T-bar etc rather than have all that on the camera. That also makes it easier to monitor their levels.

Pete

Hi Chris...I haven't done any filming for quite a while...working post-production on my project...but knowing your home build bent, thought I would just raise a cheap alternative to the monopod idea.

Bunnings has a really excellent window cleaning brush on a very sturdy extending aluminium pole...which is in two parts...one sliding inside the other. I think I paid about $NZ28 for it. Ditch the brush, fit a screw to take a tripod head on the top...I just drilled and tapped a bolt into the plastic part already there, put a rubber table leg foot on the bottom, and you have an excellent pole that will get as high as you would want. I've also made up some extension handles to control the head if I want to. Need to drill a hole in the foot to allow air in and out of the pole when extending and retracting, otherwise the suction is too strong...the pole is air tight...

I've attached a photo of the pole being used as a mic boom, so it is multipurpose...and also one of the long controller arm (on regular monopod)...this may trigger some design ideas...

Renton

Thanks again Guys

Never short of suggestions here and much appreciated too. I'll take a look at C12 stands thanks Pete

Chris

Awesome Adrian

The research is most appreciated indeed. Yeah I looked at speaker stands and they would be a safer option than lighting stands. Of course the ideal setup would be a small jib let's say 3' in front and just 1' behind the pivot so the end of the boom wouldn't get in the way. Problem is that's simple to make with some bearings and aluminium tube BUT with such a short tail you are looking at a 3:1 ratio so a 3kg camera up front needs nearly 10kg to counterbalance on the backend which would be a bit of a pain to carry around but it's certainly feasible and one could also shoot at 5' to 6' and if the joint gets crowded all you need to do to do a gentle lift to get over the heads of the offenders. Trouble is if your DOF is a bit tight and you lose focus 8' up in the air you have a major issue unless you have remote controlled follow focus for the camera.

Apart from looking for ideas, I still always stick a GoPro on a lighting stand and run it thruout the ceremony and it has saved my bacon many times when some guest decides to stand in front of my tripod. Maybe the real answer is to get a bunch of helium balloons and let them take a go pro upwards. I have seen awesome outdoor wedding footage done that way!!

Chris

I still think that any sort of platform is going to be most unwelcome at a wedding.

Chris have you considered simply extending your existing tripods legs by attaching lengths of metal tubing? This is likely to be far more stable than an over-extended centre column or a tall light stand. You may be able to use legs cannibalised from an old tripod (would be good as would have the rubber feet on still), or unused boom poles (the photographic variety), or simply buy some tubing, cut it and spray it black with robust barbecue paint.

You would join the poles to the existing legs using these sort of clamps:

http://www.ashtonlamont.co.uk/images/dvi/tripod-01.jpg

These are boom arm clamps much used in studio lighting.

They may be particularly suitable as the two poles can be angled off to fit in awkward spaces:

http://www.ashtonlamont.co.uk/images/dvi/tripod-02.jpg

Or use Superclamps:

http://www.ashtonlamont.co.uk/images/dvi/tripod-03.jpg

You join two superclamps using a stud. There are two types of stud, one which enables the clamps to be joined flush as in the above photo like this:

http://www.ashtonlamont.co.uk/images/dvi/tripod-04.jpg

And another which offsets the two clamps and may not be as suitable. In both cases you can rotate the clamps to achieve the best angle.

The boom pole type of clamp looks more elegant but the two superclamps per leg would be quicker to set up and break down.

Pete

Thanks Pete

I was actually trying to keep the footprint smaller and by the simple addition of extender tubes to angled legs the footprint becomes massive and obtrusive as the leg geometrical pattern is a triangle so the longer the leg, the wider the base becomes whilst a riser under the tripod keeps the base footprint the same.

A crane is the obvious answer but then you have an issue with manual focus as it becomes out of reach to be practical so I killed that idea.

What would be awesome of course is a decent elevator that worked from the tripod centre bowl and just went straight up to gain height so the cam is still over the centre and a little aluminium step could be used to elevate oneself high enough to reach a manual lens. However one would need something somewhat more substantial than the silly little "tube with a gear" that you find on most cheap photo tripods. Now if I could find a decent, say 75mm diameter aluminium tube that would sit on the bowl and be able to be adjusted ..that would be fantastic

Wouldn't a really "super-fat" monopod about 3' high and really big tubing around 3" and 2.5" diameter be great that one could drop into a bowl receiver?? I don't think monopods go anywhere near that size but maybe some sort of stand could be cannibalised to get the extra adjustable 3' max height and be big enough diameter to be self supporting without wobbling!!!

I think I need to wander around my local hardware warehouse and see if I spot anything that might work?

Thanks to everyone who is submitting ideas .. we might just come up with something we can all use???

Chris

I was actually trying to keep the footprint smaller and by the simple addition of extender tubes to angled legs the footprint becomes massive and obtrusive as the leg geometrical pattern is a triangle so the longer the leg, the wider the base becomes

Thats not quite what I meant. You could just attach a tube to extend each leg but you would not necessarily increase the footprint because you could have a high narrow triangle rather than a high wide triangle if you see what I mean. The feet on the ends of the extension tubes would be in the same place as the original feet would have been, and the rig therefore taller and skinnier. Alternatively have extension tubes angled straight downwards instead of outwards. Both configurations ought to be far more stable than a lighstand or an over-long centre column.

If you are intent on having a long centre column you could use a tripod in the style of the Gitzo Explorer series in which the column is offset and removable. You'd remove it, put you tube of choice in its place, then reattach the original column to the new tube using clamps similar to those I linked to.

http://www.gitzo.co.uk/series-2-6x-explorer-3s-g-lock

My main tripod is a Gitzo Explorer but there are cheaper versions available from other manufacturers.

You'd still have the issue of how to control a cam whose function buttons etc are out of reach. But I think any sort of stand which elevates the operator is so attention grabbing as to be a non-starter.

Another option would be to use a small handycam with reliable auto functions instead of a beast :- )

Pete

Thanks Pete

I don't think that taking one step upwards is a big issue and you are pretty obvious even standing there whilst everyone is sitting. Besides they should be looking at the ceremony not the video guy.

Ok at this stage I have the following plan which looks like it might just work. I have a spare 75mm bowl tripod and can extend only the first set of legs (Libecs have the sorta 5 tube legs that inter-slide) so it's quite a stable base as it stands. I have a halogen lighting stand with fairly fat extendable columns (about 2" tube) The idea now is to split the half ball from the pan head and mount it on the end of the light stand tube so it has a vertical adjustment using the bowl...I'm only then using the biggest two sections of the stand and the pan head will go on top. The two columns now between the bowl and head are adjustable and provide elevation to a max camera height of about 7'6" which should clear people standing IF I need to BUT I can also drop it to a "normal" camera height with a twist of the column.

Will it work decently? I have no idea but I will make it up, test it and upload a few pics here too. Have to do a shoot first today sadly so it might be a tomorrow project.

Chris